Makoto and the merman
by MyKawaiiBabies
Summary: Makoto Tachibana is 20 years old and one day his father invites him to his workplace; a marine research facility and there he meets Haruka, a merman who is being researched there. The two of them form an unbreakble bond and so a story about love and friendship begins!
1. Chapter 1 - The meeting

Makoto and the merman

**Chapter 1 - The meeting**

I was invited by my father who works at a marine research facility because he said he wanted to show me something amazing. He told me it was one of the greatest findings in history, but he also told me that what I was about to see was highly classified and that I had to swear I wouldn't tell anyone about it. I was guided into a room with poor lighting and in the middle of the room there was a tank that contained a...

"A merman!?" I said and looked questioningly at my father.

"Yes Makoto, it's a merman! Isn't it amazing?" My father said very enthusiastically.

The merman had a chain around his left wrist that was attached to the ceiling of the tank.

"Why is it chained like that?" I asked my father.

"It's so he dosen't move too much when we examine him," he answered.

"Dosen't it hurt?"

"Well, he hasn't complained, in fact he hasn't said a word," my father said before joining the other researches.

The merman had a sad look on his face and I approched the tank. I was now touching the glass and the merman moved closer to the glass and his sad eyes looked right in to mine. I was just about to speak when I heard a voice from inside the glass;

"Who are you? I haven't seen you before," the merman said in a monotone voice.

I was in chock, he had spoken to me!

"I'm Makoto, and you are?" I asked him.

He was just about to anwser me when my father and the other researchers notised us.

"Is he talking to you? Unbelieveble! He hasn't said a word before!" One of the researchers said.

Now everyone was gathered around the glass and were looking at the merman who now had a slightly frightend look on his face.

"Say something more," another one of the researchers said.

The merman didn't say anything and looked at me again with those sad eyes.

"It seems it only wants to talk to you," my father said and looked at me.

"How about everyone except Makoto leaves and we'll see if he'll say something to him," my father said to the other researchers.

"Okay," one of them said. "We'll leave."

Everyone else leaved the room and I was the only one left inside. I turned back to the merman and he continued looking at me with his sad eyes.

"They're finally leaving me alone," he said while still looking at me.

"So what's your name?" I asked him.

"It's Haruka," the merman said.

"It's a nice name."

It was quiet for a few seconds before I opened my mouth again.

"Does it hurt?" I asked him and looked at the chain around his wrist.

"A little bit, but it's fine," he said with his monotone voice.

"Do you miss the ocean?" I asked him.

"Yes, do you think I like it in here?" he asked with a little irritation in his voice.

"I thought so, that's why your eyes looked so sad," I said and smiled at him.

"You have a nice smile," he said and I could see through the glass that he was blushing and I giggled.

"What's so funny?" He asked and a look of anger appeared on his face.

"Nothing really," I said as a response.

It was queit for a minute or so before Haruka opened his mouth again.

"Have you ever swum in the ocean?" He asked me.

I turned my head away and thought about the accident that happend all those years ago.

"Makoto...?" He asked me with a little concern in his voice.

"I'm afraid of the ocean," I said and looked at him again.

"Why?" Haruka asked me.

"I don't want to talk about it," I said and looked away again.

Suddenly the door to the room flew open and all the researchers came back inside.

"Did he speak?" My father asked me.

"Well, yes..." I began to say but my father grabbed my arm and started to guide me to the door.

"I need to know everything he said to you. Let's go somewhere else and talk," he said and continued to guide me to the door.

I turned around and looked at Haruka and he once again looked at me with his sad eyes and the raised his right arm and waved at me as me and my father left the room.


	2. Chapter 2 - The beginning

Makoto and the merman

**Chapter 2 - The beginning**

Me and my father were now sitting on opposite ends of a table in a small room.

"What did he say?" My father asked me eagerly.

"He didn't say much, but we talked a little bit," I answered and told him what we had talked about.

"Interesting, so his name is Haruka" he said after I was finished.

It was quiet for a few minutes and my father looked like he was in deep thought.

"Father," I said, breaking the silence.

"Yes Makoto?"

"Is it possible to remove the chain from around his wrist?" I asked my father.

"It depends on what the higher-ups think," he anwered.

"Okay."

We left the room and my father said I could go home so I left the research facility and went out to the parking lot were my car was parked. During the drive home I thought about my strange encounter and I hoped that it would be possible to remove the chain around Haruka's wrist. He said it was fine, but I think that it acually hurt more than he said it did. I arrived at my apartment complex and I parked my car in the parking lot and went into the building. I took the elevator up to the third floor and on my way out I bumped in to my friend and neighbor, Rin Matsuoka.

"Oh, Makoto! I'm sorry," he said.

"No, I'm sorry. I was the one who bumped into you. Are you going somewhere?" I asked him.

"Yes, acually I'm gonna go visit my childhood friend," he answered.

"Sousuke is his name right?"

"Yeah, that guy," he said before excusing himself and he took the elevator down to the ground floor.

I unlocked the door to my apartment and went to my bedroom to change my clothes from the suit I was wearing to a couple of jeans and a t-shirt. I went to my fridge and took a beer and sat down in front of the TV just as my phone rang.

"Hello?"

"Mako-chan! It's me, Nagisa!" a loud, excited voice said on the other end.

"Oh, Nagisa. What's up?" I asked my friend.

"Me and Rei-chan are having a party and I wondered if you wanted to come?"

"No thanks, I'm tired. I just came home," I answered.

"You're boring! Well it can't be helped I guess," he said in a disappointed voice.

"Maybe another time."

"Okay, I'll call you tomorrow then. Bye Mako-chan!"

Nagisa hung up and I put the phone down on the living room table. I finished my beer and went back into the bedroom and changed to sweatpants and went to bed.

The next morning I was awakened from my slumber by the sound of my phone ringing. I got out of bed and went out to the living room and answered the phone.

"Hello?" I said in a tired voice.

"Makoto, it's your father. Could you come to the research facility?" my father asked.

"Sure, why?"

"I need you to talk to the merman again," he said.

"I'll be there as soon as I can," I said and hung up the phone before he could say anything more.

If it meant seeing Haruka again there was no way I wouldn't come. I put my suit on and went out of my apartment, locked the door and took the elevator down. I went out to the parking lot and started my car and drove towards the research faciliy. During the night many questions that I wanted to ask Haruka had popped into my mind and I was happy I was getting the chance to ask him these questions. "_I want to see him," _I thought as I continued driving towards the research facility.


	3. Chapter 3 - Friendship

Makoto and the merman

**Chapter 3 - Friendship**

I arrived at the research facility and I entered the building. I was guided to the room with Haruka's tank in it. My father and the other researchers were waiting outside the door.

"Makoto, it's good you could come so soon," my father said.

"Makoto, let me intruduce you to the one in charge of the reasearch of the merman, Dr. Ryo Hamada."

"It's very nice to meet you Doctor," I said and reached out my hand to Doctor Hamada but he didn't take it.

"I heard you were successful in communicating with the merman," he said with a slightly unpleasant tone to his voice.

"Yes, we talked," I said.

"I would like you to talk to him again and ask him some very important questions."

"Like what?" I asked him.

"Like where the rest of his kind is located," he answered.

"Why do you wanna know?" I asked him.

"I would like to know if there are more of his kind wouldn't you?" he said with the same unpleasant tone as before.

"Well sure but just so we're clear, when you're done with your research you intend to let him back into the ocean right?" I asked him.

"Of course," he said but something about the way he said it seemed off.

"Yes Makoto we just wanna know how they live and how their society works. We have only been able to preform tests to determine how their anatomy works since he wouldn't talk to us," my father said.

"These tests didn't hurt, did they?" I asked my father.

"I haven't been involved in the tests at all so I don't really know. Doctor Hamada conducted all the tests himself." he answered and looked at the doctor.

"I assure you I didn't do anything to harm the subject," he said but the way he said it seemed off just as before and I didn't like the way he called Haruka a "subject".

"So you want to know how mermen and mermaids live and what they do. That kind of stuff?" I asked Doctor Hamada.

"Yes, that's all."

"Okay, you want me to go in now?" I asked.

Yes, if you will," Doctor Hamada said.

Everyone else moved aside and I entered the room.

I closed the door behind me and walked up to the tank in the middle of the room. They had litsened to my request and had removed the chain around Haruka's wrist and he was know sleeping at the bottom of the tank. Small bubbles were coming out of his mouth and I could hear a faint snoring sound. I knocked carefully on the glass and Haruka opened his eyes but he didn't look at me.

"Are you here to preform more tests on me?" he asked in his usual monotone voice.

"No, it's me Makoto," I said.

He reacted to my voice and with fast movements he had gotten up and was now face to face with me on the other side of the glass.

"I'm so glad it's you and not the others, especially not the Hamada guy," he said.

"I really wanted to see you again," I said and smiled. He looked away and I could see he was blushing just like the day before. It was kind of cute.

"I have so many things I want to ask you," I said after a short silence.

"Like what?" Haruka asked.

"Like how your family is like for example," I answered.

He looked at me a few seconds and then opened his mouth.

"They're really nice," he started.

"My mom is very good at telling stories and there was this one that I really liked," he said.

"She always used to tell me it was a true story. I don't know if I believe her but I still loved the story," he continued.

"My father can be a little strict sometimes but he's really a good guy. He always told me it could be dangerous to be to close to the shore in case humans would spot me and I guess he was right because that was how I ended up here."

"Why would you risk getting caught by being near the shore?" I asked him.

"I was looking for someone. Someone I meet a long time ago. I always came to the shore to look for him."

The sad look he usually had on his face became more sad as he seemed to be thinking about something.

"Are you okay, Haruka?" I asked.

Yes, I'm fine. I was just thinking about that someone. I wish I could meet him again but the thing is, I can't really remember his face."

Silence filled the room as none of us said anything for several minutes until a thought popped into my head and I opened my mouth to speak.

"Hey, Haruka. Is it okay if I call you Haru-chan?" I asked him.

"I don't like being called -chan," he said.

"What about just Haru then?"

"Okay, but why?" he asked.

"Because we're friends now," I said and smiled at him. Through the glass I could see that he was blushing once again.

"If you want to be my friend of course."

"Sure, that would be nice," he said in his usual voice.

Right after he said that the researchers came in through the door and there was no more time to talk. Like the day before I was brought to a small room with a table. Unlike yesterday however not only my father was with me but also Doctor Hamada. I told them everything Haru had said and after that I was told I could go home.

That night when I was lying in bed I thought about Haru and how much he must miss his family but I couldn't help but to feel a little happy that Haru had been caught. Because if the hadn't I would have never met him but there was something that bothered me, but I couldn't figure out exacly what it was.


	4. Chapter 4 - The past

**A/N**

I'm sorry I haven't updated in a while but Iv'e been busy with school but here's chapter 4. Enjoy!

Makoto and the merman

**Chapter 4 - The past**

_It was dark and silent, I coluldn't hear anything. It was cold and I couldn't breath. I sank deeper down into the darkness, I looked up but it was useless, I still couldn't see anything. I tried to reach up because even if it was dark and I couldn't see anything I knew that it was the only way out. I tried my hardest and my head finally broke the surface of the water but as soon as I did a wave came and I once again sank down into the darkness. It happened so fast I didn't get a chance to take a breath and I felt that my oxygen was running out. I started to feel dizzy and I couldn't hold my breath anymore. I was so scared at this point, I was only a kid and this was how it all was going to end. "I'm going to die," I thought as everything went black._

_lala la lalala la lala la lalala_

_I heard someone sing a beatiful melody. A light appeared and my eyes slowly opened. I saw someone that was bending over me. "Are you an angel?" The song stopped and the person that had been bending over me disappeared and I could hear voices calling my name._

_"koto..."_

_"Mako..."_

"Makoto!"

My eyes shot open and I sat up in my bed. I heard Nagisa's voice calling my name and knocking on the front door. I got out of bed and walked out of my bedroom and went to the front door. I looked through the peeping hole and saw Nagisa as well as Rei and Rin. I unlocked the door and let them in.

"I'm sorry, did we wake you up?" Rei asked.

"Yes, but ít's fine. I should have been up hours ago anyway." I answered.

"You didn't anwser my call yesterday Mako-chan! Did you forget I said I was going to call you?" Nagisa said in a slightly angry tone.

"I'm sorry, my father called me and..."

"That reminds me! Makoto how was it at the lab? You said your father was going to take you there and show you something," Rei interrupted me.

I started thinking about Haru and I wanted to tell my friends all about him but then I remembered that I wasn't allowed to tell anyone.

"I'm sorry but I'm not allowed to say anything," I answered.

"Come on Makoto," Rin said.

"Yeah come on! Tell us Mako-chan! Nagsa followed.

Nagisa, Rei and Rin looked at me with big eyes that remined me of three puppies.

"No, I really can't," I said.

They all looked a little disappointed but they accepted the fact that I wasn't going to tell them anything. They asked me if I wanted to go with them to the marine park because Rin's little sister Gou had gotten a job there. I said yes and went back into my bedroom and got myself dressed. We stopped on the way to the park at a café so that i could get something to eat. Half an hour later we arrived at the park.

"Wow, look at all the water animals!" Nagisa said enthusiastically.

"Nagisa, you've have been here and seen these animals a million times. You, me and Rin went here every weekend when we were kids." I said.

"I know but they're still awesome!"

We found Gou picking up trash near the penguins.

"You having fun?" Rin asked his sister.

"Nii-san? What are you doing here?" She asked.

She raised her head and noticed that me, Nagisa and Rei were there as well.

"You guys too?"

"We came to check on you to see if you are doing your job," Rin teased.

"Haha, very funny," she said sarcasticly.

We walked around awhile in the park until it was time for Gou's break. We all sat down on two benches outside of the park café. We sat there and chatted as I noticed a sign. _A creature like none other! A wonder from the deep sea! Coming soon!_

It's apparenly some new mystery animal of some kind." Gou, that had noticed me staring at the sign said.

_"Mystery animal..." _I thought._ "A wonder from the deep sea..." _ For some reason I got a weid feeling in my stomach when I thought about the sign and what Gou had said.

I got pulled out of my thoughts by my cellphone ringing.

"Hello, Makoto Tachibana here."

"Makoto, It's your father. You have to hurry over to the lab, something incredible is happening."


	5. Chapter 5 - Forgotten memories

Makoto and the merman

**Chapter 5 - Forgotten memories**

When I got to the research facility everyone was standing outside of the door leading to the room which had the tank in it. Dr. Hamada was the first one to notice me.

"Makoto, it's great that you are here," he said in a slightly irritated tone.

"What's wrong?" I asked.

"He's singing! The merman is singing!"

"Really?"

"Yes and I want him to stop," Dr. Hamada said this time even more irritated.

"Now, calm down doctor. Don't you think it's amazing?" My father asked.

"Amazing? I was doing some very important tests and all of a sudden he started singing! I need Makoto to tell him to shut up so I can continue the tests!" Dr. Hamada said, now in a very unplesant tone.

"You don't have to be so angry, don't you understand he might be scared," I said to Dr. Hamada who had now made me slighly angry with that attitude of his.

"Calm down both of you. Let's just let Makoto go in there and we'll see what happens," my father said.

"Fine," Dr. Hamada said and he looked at me before turning around and opening the door.

Once he had opened the door we all went inside and my ears were hit by a very beautiful song.

_lala la lalala la lala la lalala_

All of a sudden my entire body got stiff and I couldn't move. I couldn't breathe and I started shaking. All the memories came back to me at once.

"STOP SINGING!" I shouted with all my might. The song stopped and I looked up and Haru and everyone else around me were staring at me.

"Makoto, what's wrong?" My father asked me.

I was still shaking and I was my breathing was rapid.

"I remembered," was the only thing that came out of my mouth but my father understood what I meant.

"I see, maybe you should get out of here," my father suggested.

"No," I said looking back at Haru. I went up to the tank and put my hand on the glass. Haru had a slightly frightened look on his face.

"Are you okay?" He asked.

"Not really but I'm sorry if I scared you," I said and smiled. Haru blushed just like he always did. "_He's so cute when he does that,"_ I thought.

"It was you, you were the one who saved me," I told Haru.

"What do you mean?" He asked.

The reseachers had now moved closer to me and Haru.

"Ten years ago when I was ten me and my family were out in the family boat when all of a sudden a storm came. The waves keept getting higher and higher. A big one hit the boat and I fell into the ocean. I tried to swim but the waves were too strong. I really thought I would die when I could no longer breath and everything around me became black but then I heard a beautiful melody and I opened my eyes and..."

"It's you," Haru "interuppted" me. He looked at me and then continued.

"You're the one I've been looking for. I remember your face now. I saw you desperately trying to reach the suface. I couldn't just let you die so I saved you. At first I thought I might have been to late. I started singing that song because it's a song mermen and mermaids sing when they are sad. Then all of a sudden you opened your eyes. You thought I was an angel and then I heard voices so I jumped back into the ocean. After that no matter how much I tried I just couldn't remember your face but I remember now. Those voices were saying "Makoto". It's you." Haru said.

It was quiet in the room for a moment as me and Haru just stared at each other. It might have been just a moment but it felt so much longer than that. But the silence was broken by my father.

"Your name is Haruka, right?" he said and turned to Haru.

Haru and I took our eyes of each other and were now looking at my father. Haru nodded to my father's question. I noticed my father was crying.

"Thank you for saving my son back then. I could never thank you enough," he said and made a deep bow. Haru was looking at my father with big eyes and my father stood back up. What happened after that was truly amazing. For the first time Haru spoke directly to someone besides me.

"You're welcome," he said and looked right at my father.

Everybody seemed to be in shock and the room was once again quiet until Dr. Hamada broke the silence.

"Can I please get back to my tests now?" he asked with the usual ton of irritation in his voice.

"Yes, of course Doctor but he just spoke to me! He has only spoken to my son before." My father said.

"I know and we'll discuss that later but now I really need to get back to those tests," Dr Hamada said.

"Yes, Doctor. Makoto, let's go."

I looked back at Haru as me, my father and the other reserachers left the room. Haru looked at me with a look that seemed to say; _Don't leave me alone with him_ and then I remembered something. Haru had said that his kind sung that song when they were sad. Haru had sung that song before when Dr. Hamada had been conducting tests on him. I could only come to one conclusion and that was that Haru definitely didn't like it when Dr. Hamada did tests on him. I realized what it was that had bothered me the night before. It was Dr. Hamada and his attitude towards Haru. Then I remembered about the sign at the Marine Park. "_Mystery animal... A wonder from the deep sea..." _

It couldn't be...


	6. Chapter 6 - Realizations

Makoto and the merman

**Chapter 6 - Realizations**

I was now at home laying on my bed and I had a theory, Dr. Hamada was not going to let Haru go back into the ocean. After he had conducted all the necessary tests he would send him to the Marine Park where he would be displayed as _"The wonder form the sea."_ Of course I didn't know if this really was the case but I pretty much certain that it was.

_"What should I do? I have to make sure he gets back to the ocean, he's not gonna be happy at the Marine Park having people standing around and staring at him everyday." _I thought to myself.

I got of my bed and out to the living room. I started walking back and forth while trying to come up with something I could do. After awhile of thinking and not coming up with anything I started getting really frustrated.

"Damn it!"

At that moment my phone rang. I picked it up and answered the call without looking at the screen to see who was calling.

"WHAT!?"

"Whoa, what's wrong with you?" Rin asked on the other end.

"Oh, it's you. I'm sorry, I'm just a little frustrated." I answered.

"I noticed."

"So what did you want?" I asked him in a much calmer voice.

"It's about Sousuke." Rin answered.

"Your childhood friend? What about him?"

"Well… I….um…sort of kissed him." Rin said after stuttering a bit.

"So? Are you dating or something?" I asked him.

"I don't know! I just kissed him and ran away!"

"Rin."

"Yeah…?"

"That was pretty stupid." I said.

"Oh, thank you! You think I don't know that! I have always liked him ever since we were kids so I couldn't hold back anymore and I just kissed him! I panicked!"

"That's no reason to run away."

"I know, but I didn't know what else to do," Rin said.

"So just call him and talk it out."

"That's exacly what I plan to do but I need your help," Rin said.

"With what?" I asked him.

"I need you to help me come up with an excuse."

"An excuse for what?"

"For kissing him. I need to tell him it was a mistake somehow," he said.

"Why can't you just be honest?" I asked him.

"It would be totally weird! We're childhood friends and besides that, we are both guys!"

"So what?"

"So what? Don't you think it's weird being in love with a guy!?" he asked me.

"Of course not. I mean Nagisa and Rei are a couple and I don't have a problem with it."

"What?! Nagisa and Rei are a couple!?" he asked in a suprised voice.

"You didn't know? I mean they already live together and everything."

"Friends can live together too!" Rin said.

"In a one bedroom apartment?"

"Oh…"

It was quiet for a minute or two before Rin started talking again.

So what should I tell Sousuke then?" Rin asked me.

"Just tell him the truth. Call and ask him to meet you somewhere and then you just explain to him how you feel, after that you ask him how he feels and if he feels the same as you do, you ask him to be your boyfriend. Now if you'll excuse me," I said and hung up the phone.

I felt a little guilty about hanging up on Rin like that but I didn't feel like talking with anyone. Somehow the whole conversation with Rin had only made me feel even more frustrated. Besides, what was up with Rin not knowing Nagisa and Rei were dating? Nagisa has always been open about it so you'd think Rin would notice.

"_It must be really nice being in love with someone though,"_ I thought.

I had never really been in love before. I'd had my share of relationships but I had never truly been in love. Suddenly a picture of Haru popped up in my mind. His pale skin, his sad blue eyes, the way he always blushed when I smiled at him. I felt my heart beat a little faster in my chest when I thought about it.

_"W-What am I thinking?"_

My heart kept beating fast and that's when a thought crossed my mind.

_"No way…It can't be that…that…"_

"I'm in love with Haru!?"


	7. Chapter 7 - Hamada's real intentions

**A/N: **Sorry for the wait, I've been super busy with school. Anyway, this chapter is told in Haru's pov but it won't be very long. I promise the next chapter will be longer.

Enjoy! :)

Makoto and the merman

**Chapter 7 - Hamada's real intentions **

I woke up to the sound of people talking outside the tank. I recognized the the voices, it was Dr Hamada and that man.

"So it's a deal then," Dr Hamada told the other man.

"Yes! This will be the most amazing thing to ever be displayed at the Marine Park!" The other man said in an exited voice.

This man was the head of a place called a "marine park". Dr Hamada had told me what it meant. I was going to be sent there and be displayed as "the wonder from the sea". Humans come to these marine parks to watch water animals. I'm not an animal, I'm more like a human than a an animal but Dr Hamada didn't seem to care as long as he got his money.

"But I still want to know where he comes from and where the rest of his kind is." the man said.

"I'm trying but he just won't tell me! He hasn't even told that damn kid yet and they have been gotten along really well. Still, I'm glad Mr Tachibana invited him here, we have gotten some valuable information thanks to him."

_What was he saying? No Way! Makoto wouldn't… Not Makoto… Not Makoto!_

"You're lying."

They both turned around to look at me.

"He talked!" the head of the marine park said in a suprised voice.

"Lying? I'm sorry merman but I'm not. After his first visit here he only continued to come to get information from you." Dr Hamada said in his usual unpleasant voice.

"I don't believe you! Makoto is not like that! Don't say bad things about him!"

"You don't really know him, you have only known him for a week. You may have saved him ten years ago but that does not mean you acually know anything about him." Dr Hamada said.

"But… but… he… I…I"

I couldn't say anymore. I felt my heart sink to the bottom of my chest. I turned around and sat down at the bottom of the tank and buried my face in my hands.

"Did you really think he cared about you? How sweet." Dr Hamada said in an amused voice.

He whispered something to the other man and then they both left the room.

"This can't be… I thought Makoto was different." I said out loud to myself.

_"Why did it have to be this way?"_

I felt my eyes beginnig to water and I tried to hold back the tears.

_"You bastard… I really thought you cared… You're really cruel Makoto, making be fall in love with you like this…"_

I couldn't hold back anymore and I broke down crying.


End file.
